How guinea pigs breed at home. How long does pregnancy last in guinea pigs? At what age is mating allowed

Guinea pigs have become very popular pets for their good-natured disposition and unpretentious maintenance. Quite often, the owners of charming rodents have a desire to get offspring from the pet of the family at home. Reproduction guinea pigs at home is a rather interesting process based on the study of the physiology of guinea pigs, the correct selection of a pair and the creation of comfortable conditions for mating.

In the wild, the mating season for the South American relatives of guinea pigs occurs most often in the spring and lasts until late autumn. Owners of furry rodents are also advised to mate their pets during the spring months. In comfortable home conditions, guinea pigs mate year-round. But young animals obtained in summer from large dairy females are considered healthier and suitable for further reproduction.

In natural habitat, guinea pigs live in large flocks, consisting of one male leader and 10-20 females. In the flock, a part of the females is responsible for the general rearing of the offspring. The rest of the females protect the territory from congeners or predators, notifying of the approach of danger with the help of a loud siren. The ability of males to simultaneously fertilize several females is used in polygamous breeding of guinea pigs, when one male and 10 females are contained in one cage.

If the female and male become friends, then they will create a pair for the rest of their lives.

Why pigs don't breed

Guinea pigs often do not breed. Even during estrus, the female does not admit the male because of the banal lack of sympathy for the male. Exposure to time or attempts to plant in this case will not be crowned with success and will cause frequent fights between pets.

A warlike female can bring adorable babies from another partner, subject to the formation of a friendly relationship with a new male.

Breeding guinea pigs at home safely occurs when:

• optimal microclimate, the air temperature in the room is above +20 degrees.

Temperature changes, too dry air, violation of the conditions of care and feeding, diseases and congenital malformations negatively affect the processes of mating and conception.

A female guinea pig may simply not like a partner and she does not allow him to mate

At what age is mating allowed

Guinea pigs are sexually mature at 4 weeks of age in females and 10 weeks of age in males. Sometimes there is a very early puberty of 3 weeks in females and at 8 weeks in males, therefore, at the age of 3 weeks, it is necessary to remove the young from the mother, forming groups according to gender.

Early mating of guinea pigs is fraught with:

• general weakening of the female body;
• pathological course of pregnancy and childbirth due to the underdevelopment of the birth canal.

Therefore, healthy adults with a body weight of at least 500 g at the age of 10-11 months for females and from 1 year for males are allowed to reproduce.

It is advisable to breed a female for the first time in the interval from 10 to 12 months. Late first pregnancy threatens with complications during childbirth due to ossification of the pelvic ligaments.

Despite the fact that guinea pigs can successfully mate at the age of 6-8 months, veterinarians do not advise mating young females before 10-11 months.

Early pregnancy negatively affects:

• on the growth of the skeleton and muscle mass animal;
• threatens with pathology of pregnancy and childbirth;
• lack of milk or maternal instinct in a young mother;
• death of a rodent.

It is considered harmless to the health of the female that the female is covered twice a year to produce offspring. More frequent mating undermines the female health of an adult animal, which is fraught with:

• spontaneous miscarriages;
• abortion, premature birth;
• the birth of unviable cubs;
• late toxicosis and death of the female.

The onset of pregnancy

The female is able to become pregnant again within 24 hours after giving birth.

Hormonal changes in the body during a new pregnancy can provoke the death of the entire born brood or the mother herself.

Crossbreeding between the closest relatives of guinea pigs is highly undesirable due to the risk of giving birth to a weak or non-viable brood with congenital abnormalities.

The onset of pregnancy in a guinea pig: on the left - the pig is in a normal state, and on the right - a pregnant female

How to find and prepare guinea pigs for mating

Reproduction at home of guinea pigs bears fruit only if the rules for the selection and preparation of a pair for mating are observed, the norms of acquaintance and placement of animals are adhered to, and optimal conditions for feeding and housing are created for the mother and her fluffy brood.

What individuals are allowed to breed

Allowed for breeding are healthy, well-fed individuals born in the summer from large dairy females of approximately the same age, which must have:

• body weight not less than 500 g, ideal weight 700-1000 g;
• and pronounced breed characteristics;
• shiny high-quality coat;
• friendly character.

Only healthy individuals with an agreeable character should be allowed to reproduce.

Fluffy rodents are not allowed for breeding, suffering from:

• bad habits;
• aggressive character;
• problems with teeth and eyes;
• adult roan guinea pigs and Dalmatians;
• sick, weakened or overweight individuals.

Guinea pig sperm loses its activity in both obese and very thin animals. Recently recovered animals are kept in additional quarantine. Overfed or malnourished pets are assigned special diet for weight correction.

When to start breeding

It is possible to start breeding guinea pigs only after establishing a 3-4 week quarantine for the newly acquired animal. This measure is necessary for the adaptation of the purchased guinea pig. And also the exclusion of infection of pets if the new partner has latent diseases.

Acquaintance of a couple

The next step should be the introduction of funny pets. To successfully reduce guinea pigs, it is recommended to control the behavior and reaction of animals to each other. Relatives can get to know each other for quite a long time, therefore, the owners of small animals are advised to be patient and not to bring fluffy rodents to the establishment of friendly relations. Acquaintance is aimed at getting the guinea pig to get used to the smell of a partner. Rapid settling of rodents with the exception of this stage is fraught with bloody fights, sometimes with very sad consequences.

For acquaintance, you can use a cage with a partition

The next step is to introduce the animals in neutral territory, preferably in a confined space unfamiliar to both individuals. For this method, it is recommended that you prepare enough treats and release the animals. Most rodents will eat their food without paying attention to their partner.

Sharing food can help build relationships between pigs.

But in the event of a fight, it is urgent to separate the animals. The guinea pigs are wrapped in towels and wait a few more days with this step.

Planting rules

If the rodents take their food quite calmly in a neutral territory, you can proceed directly to the stage of setting up the guinea pigs. This process requires compliance with certain rules:

Heat in guinea pigs

The male can fertilize the female only during estrus, which is most often repeated in females every 15-17 days.

The period of sexual desire lasts only 48 hours. The most favorable for conception are the first 10-12 hours after the onset of estrus.

During estrus, the male shows increased attention to the female.

Inexperienced owners of domestic rodents often wonder if guinea pigs have periods. Furry pets have no menstruation. It is possible to understand that the guinea pig wants a male only by examining the loop and the behavior of the rodents.

Heat in young guinea pigs begins at 4 weeks. With early puberty, the first heat occurs as early as 3 weeks of age. It is advisable not to allow females with the first estrus to breed. The female organism has not yet reached physiological maturity, and early pregnancy can turn into a pathology of childbirth and the death of a female with a brood.

During estrus, ovulation occurs in a female's body. This hormonal process is accompanied by the secretion of mucus of the necessary consistency to improve the sliding of sperm and the safe attachment of fertilized eggs in the uterine cavity. The female's loop is only able to open during estrus or childbirth. At this time, the female can be safely fertilized. The owner of a guinea pig is advised to learn how to determine the onset of estrus in a pet for planning the time of the next mating of small animals.

Signs of heat in a guinea pig

Female behavior

The female during estrus wags the booty in front of the male. Raises the back of the body in front of him in a fixed position with the front legs apart. In the absence of a partner in the cage, the onset of estrus in a female can be determined by the characteristic behavior of the animal during stroking on the back:

• the rodent hums;
• arches the back;
• twists the back of the body.

Male behavior

The male actively looks after the female. He publishes a loud mating song with trumpet sounds, tries to run into a female.

Loop change

During estrus, the external genital organs of the female look enlarged, the loop opens. The guinea pig has a white, bloodless discharge, and the fur on the back of the body becomes wet.

When the female is ready to mate, she actively twists the back of her body in front of the male.

When estrus occurs, the chained couple mates several times a day at any time. Sexual intercourse lasts a few seconds. After two days, the female's loop closes. Partners cease to be actively interested in each other and to make attempts at mating.

It is relatively easy to breed guinea pigs at home. They reach sexual maturity early and, under favorable conditions, quickly move on to reproduction. If this process is undesirable, the owner can settle the animals in different cages in advance.

The widely known fertility is associated primarily with the fact that after 13-15 hours from the moment of birth, the female begins to estrus and she is again ready for mating. According to experts, under a favorable set of circumstances, one female individual can bring from 90-100 full-fledged cubs per year.

Breeding guinea pigs

Males reach sexual maturity on the 60-75th day of birth, and females on the 20-35th day. If a breeder wants to improve the breed, for this purpose it is better for him to take gilts at the age of 5-7 months.

The sexual cycle is repeated after 16-17 days. This gap may become longer under unfavorable conditions. environment or in the winter. When a female is in heat, she becomes restless and stops eating.

It's easy to find a pair. The female and the male in most cases get along well with each other. If the owner wants to get offspring from his pets, he should take into account that the pigs should be approximately the same age category and breed, as well as not be closely related to each other. It is best to move a pregnant female to a separate cage. One female can give birth not more often than once every 4 months.

The gestation period in gilts lasts an average of 65 days. Childbirth in these rodents is easy and almost imperceptible.

At birth, babies emerge from the mother's womb, heads first. At this moment, the female descends on bent hind legs, and after the appearance of the baby, she pulls it out of the amniotic fluid, eats the placenta and licks the baby. If more than two babies are born during childbirth, the pig may not have enough time to lick each one. She can be helped by wiping the newly born animals with a soft cloth, thus preventing hypothermia.

Cubs are born covered with soft, smooth hair. Since their eyes open a little 11-13 days before the moment of delivery, babies can see already a few minutes after their birth. Their hearing is also quite developed. Cubs are born with fully formed incisors.

Newborn animals from a single litter weigh more than cubs from a large one. The weight of babies can range from 45-140 g. If the calf weighs 40 g. The chances of survival are minimal. In this case, even artificial feeding cannot correct the situation. After 4 weeks from the moment of birth, the animals can be separated from their mother and placed in different cages.

Young pigs begin to eat solid food literally on the 2nd day after birth. During this time, they need to regularly eat some of the mother's droppings. It is rich in vitamin K and B-complex and is extremely beneficial for young animals. Cubs grow very quickly within 15 months. They put on 4g of weight every day. And only after 7 weeks the growth rate slows down. Like many other animal species, these rodents begin to move around the cage a few hours after birth. Two weeks after birth, the weight of the pups doubles. At the 8th week of life, they weigh about 400g.

Age and weight

Determining the exact age is not easy. You can try to do this with weights.

Having found out the body weight of the pig, you can roughly indicate its age. Guinea pigs grow for 16 months. By the end of the first month of life, they weigh an average of 250g, by the end of the second - 400g, and by the end of the third - 500g. The newborn guinea pig reaches a length of 9.5 cm.The length of the animal at the age of 5 weeks is 19cm, 4.5 months - 23 cm, and an adult - 28 cm.

Experts conditionally divide the life cycle of a guinea pig into 4 periods.

First period begins at the moment of birth of the animal and lasts 21 days. Small animals do not leave the nest, feeding on their mother's milk. By the end of the second week, the female has nipples.

Second period starts on the 25th day from the moment of birth and lasts 4-5 months. At this time, the little pigs are caged and start feeding on their own. The animals grow rapidly, their secondary sexual characteristics become noticeable. Animals begin to better coordinate their movements. After 3 months from the moment of birth, males become much larger than females.

Third period- one of the most important in the life of a pig. At the 6th month, the animal reaches its maximum size, the development of its genitals is completed, and the animal gets the opportunity to engage in reproductive activity for 40 months. At this time, the fur is finally formed in the pigs, and the teeth become snow-white.

The fourth period may begin in the 4th year of life and end on the 8-10th. At this time, the animal's reproductive and motor functions of the body are gradually disrupted. If a litter appears in the 4th or 5th year of a guinea pig's life, there is a high probability that it will not be viable and small in number. At the 5th and 6th year of life in females, estrus becomes rare and irregular. By the 7th year in rodents, the fur turns gray and thinns, and the claws are bent. The teeth of the old pig lose their whiteness and begin to gradually deteriorate. In the last year of life, muscles and internal organs animal atrophy.

The most important thing to know about this topic is that the first litter must be born before the female is one year old... If this happens later, then serious, even life-threatening, problems with childbirth arise.

Most best age for the first mating it is 4-7 months for females (with a weight of at least 600 grams) and 4-6 months for males. The females' estrus lasts 16 days, but the period during which she is ready to mate takes only about 8 hours. Soon after childbirth, the next estrus may begin - "postpartum". Thus, the guinea pigs can feed their offspring at the same time and wait for the next litter.

Pregnancy lasts 63 days on average. The larger the litter, the shorter the gestation period and vice versa. Compared to other rodents, pregnancy lasts a very long time. The female's weight almost doubles during this time. The exact date of birth is difficult to determine, even the female does not build a nest. However, a week before giving birth, you can notice how the pelvis expands. If a female giving birth for the first time is older than one year, then she may experience difficult and even tragic situations during childbirth. Sometimes a caesarean section is necessary to save the life of the mumps and their offspring. If childbirth is not complicated, then it lasts about half an hour - 5 minutes for each baby. Litter size from 1 to 6 babies, 3-4 on average. The first litter is usually very small. Miscarriages and dead gilts often occur at any age of the female.

The guinea pig. Depositphotos.com/Iosif Szasz-Fabian

Babies are well developed from birth. They are very large and completely covered with fur, they can move independently. They have open eyes and teeth. Even though newborn gilts can eat solid food and drink water from the drinker, the mother should be allowed to feed them for at least 2 months.

Difficulty during childbirth

Dystocia. Dystocia is an abnormal delivery when the animal is unable to push the fetus out of the uterus.

The female should have the first litter up to 7 months. If this happens later, complications are possible, up to a threat to the life of the mother and babies. For the birth to be successful, part of the pregnant female's pelvis must expand. If the female is older than 7 months, then this does not happen, and a cesarean section is required. Symptoms of dystocia are uterine bleeding and pushing. You may need emergency veterinary assistance.

Toxemia. Toxemia usually occurs in females with overweight during the first or second pregnancy. Symptoms usually become visible in the last two weeks of pregnancy or in the first week after giving birth. These include loss of appetite, depression, weakness, refusal to move, loss of coordination, shortness of breath, coma, and death. It happens that the mumps has no symptoms, and then it suddenly dies. There is no specific reason for the disease, but obese or stressed mumps most often get sick. In addition, the advanced age of the mumps, lack of physical activity, hunger, and a large number of embryos can have a negative impact. A pig with these symptoms should definitely be shown to a veterinarian. Since treatment is often unsuccessful, preventive measures are of paramount importance. Pregnant females should never be overfed. Stress and hunger should also be avoided, especially in the last few weeks of pregnancy. Pregnant females constantly need clean fresh water and good nutrition.

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The guinea pig or cavey is an affable, cheerful animal that is quite a popular pet. Those who recently became the owner of cavey and do not yet have much experience in their maintenance are often interested in the nuances of breeding gilts at home. This is discussed further in our material.

What is required to breed guinea pigs at home

In addition to the theoretical base required for a competent approach to business, you should first prepare all the necessary equipment:

• cell;
• feeder;
• drinking cup;
• sawdust or straw;
• feed.

If you are planning to breed animals for business, you will need several cages. In this case, it is advisable to opt for the harem breeding method.

Important! Females should not be knitted more than twice a year, this has a bad effect on their health, depleting the body. Males also need to be knitted according to a certain schedule, otherwise they may lose the ability to bear children.

Matching a pair

It is not necessary to carry out the first mating earlier than the age of 10-11 months, although physiologically animals are ready for mating much earlier. As for the mating of close relatives, it should be said here that mating of a brother with a sister is not allowed. In other cases, mating is carried out, but for a specific purpose, for example, to consolidate the color.

You need to cross a pair with wool of the same length.

When choosing a pair for knitting, you should consider the following points:

• good health;
• good external data and anatomy;
• the pig should be moderately well-fed;
• good quality fur;
• docile friendly disposition.

Hooking up a male and mating guinea pigs

V good conditions the animals are ready to mate throughout the year. The frequency of estrus is 13-18 days, the duration is about 2 days, but the most favorable for conception are the first 3-5 hours.

It is easy to notice the onset of estrus: the female begins mating games, luring the male. Now you should put the female and the male in the same cage. This should be done once every 3-4 hours. With this (separate) maintenance and subsequent implantation, you can skip the onset of estrus, missing the highest chances for successful fertilization.

Although this does not mean at all that it will not come.

There are 2 ways of breeding these animals: monogamous and harem. In the first case, the animals form a strong pair, but this does not mean that the female does not have to be removed from the male.

The reasons for this are as follows:

1. Possible aggression of the male towards his own cubs.
2. Mating should not be allowed immediately after childbirth. Although the female is physiologically ready for this, repeated mating will have the most negative effect on her health.

With the harem breeding method (usually used for business), 1 male lives with 8-10 females. Each pregnant pig is then placed in a separate cage.

Did you know?Normal weight and body fat are extremely important for the fertility of Civies, both males and females. Both overweight and its deficiency negatively affect this function of the animal's body.

Pregnancy and childbirth

The duration of labor is usually no longer than 1 hour, the female copes without assistance.

During childbirth, the new mother sits, tears the amniotic membrane and licks the baby. In the event that the offspring is large (7-10 individuals), labor can last longer than an hour.

How long does pregnancy last?

The gestation period for these animals is 60–72 days. More accurate dates depend on the breed, health status and the number of offspring. The more cubs a female bears, the earlier she will give birth. After the second week of pregnancy, you can find out how many cubs the female is carrying.
With the help of careful palpation (probing) of the abdomen, you can feel for small seals - embryos. Their number will tell you how many cubs to expect. Remember that a pregnant female is in dire need of rest.

Features of nutrition of a pregnant female

During pregnancy, the female needs to be fed two times a day. During this period, food should be rich in vitamins and fiber. But the content of fat and dry food in the diet must be reduced. You need to feed in moderation, not overfeeding, but so that the animal (and future offspring) does not lack nutrition.

The emphasis should be on greens and plant foods:

• nuts and seeds;
• Dill;
• beet;
• carrot;
• spinach;
• raspberry and dandelion leaves.

There should always be fresh grass and hay in the feeder.
The approximate daily ration of a pregnant female cavey looks like this:

• oats (better sprouted) - 13-16 g;
• vegetables - 65–70 g;
• wheat - 4-6 g;
• dry food - 2–4 g;
• fruit - 27–32 g.

Important!During pregnancy and lactation, the female should not be fed with parsley, radishes, mint and wormwood.

How many and how babies are born

Usually 1–6 cubs are born with already open eyes and all teeth. They are immediately ready for an active life, which they demonstrate after a few hours, briskly running around the cage. Two days after birth, babies are able to eat the usual food for adults, although they still need mother's milk.

Postpartum care

Immediately after giving birth, the female needs proper feeding. At this time, she constantly needs fresh grass and hay. From feeds, emphasis should be placed on those that are rich in vitamins E and C, calcium (sprouted cereals and vegetables).
The female, for whom these births are the first, can refuse to feed the offspring. For 6-8 hours, the owner of the animal should not show concern, everything will be fine with the babies.

In the event that, after the indicated time, the mother still did not deign to feed the cubs, the following technique should be carried out: isolate the mumps with offspring in a small box protected from light penetration. Usually, such a measure leads to the fact that after half an hour the maternal instincts wake up.

It happens that the female's nipples become inflamed during lactation. In this case, you need to treat them with a decoction of chamomile or a weak solution of potassium permanganate. The nipples should be examined regularly, as if the inflammation is not noticed in time, it can turn into mastitis.

In this case, the milk becomes thick, yellowish. The female may have a fever, she will refuse to eat. They treat mastitis by expressing milk, thus massaging the mammary glands.

If the owner of the animal, carrying out such a procedure every day, did not notice an improvement in his condition, you need to contact a specialist.
Often after giving birth, the animal becomes bald, this should not be scary: the wool will grow back after 15–20 days. Otherwise, you should contact your veterinarian. If there are sores on the bald patches, they are treated with a weak pink solution of potassium permanganate.

In the event that the offspring turned out to be large, one of the babies will definitely be deprived of mother's milk. The weakest individuals will be malnourished - those who weigh less, they need to be fed. Such nutrition is carried out with infant formula that does not contain lactose.

Using a syringe (without a needle), 3 mg of the mixture is injected through the nasal openings three times a day.

For 12-15 days after birth, babies should not be handled unnecessarily. If necessary, wash your hands thoroughly before contact.

Did you know?Guinea pigs were domesticated about 7 thousand years ago by the Indians living in the Andes, but exclusively for consumption.

When can be removed from the mother

The cubs are removed from the mother at the age of 20 days. In this case, males must be removed from females, since already in months of age they can show sexual pretensions, and such early contact is deadly for young females.
As pets, guinea pigs are a great option, especially for a small city apartment. They are absolutely non-aggressive, practically odorless and do not fade. Guinea pigs are wonderful animals that delight the eye and do not let their owner get bored.